The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Fuseini Yakubu Abanga, has renewed calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over allegations that Ghanaian service passports have been issued to individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements.
Mr Abanga is also demanding a public apology from the Minister, arguing that he should step aside to allow the relevant investigative authorities to independently establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularities.
His demands follow a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlining steps taken to address concerns over the administration and issuance of service passports, including the establishment of an investigative committee, the interdiction of officers and a referral of the matter to the police.
However, the NPP organiser has questioned the adequacy of the Ministry’s response, accusing Mr Ablakwa of failing to provide a comprehensive account of the allegations and address concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament.
In a statement directed at the Minister, Mr Abanga argued that the issues require full disclosure and accountability rather than what he described as selective explanations and attempts to draw comparisons with previous administrations.
Mr Abanga has questioned why alleged irregularities in the issuance of service passports dating as far back as 2023 were not highlighted by Mr Ablakwa during his anti-corruption advocacy before assuming office in 2025.
He argued that if such practices existed within the passport administration system during that period, the Minister should explain why they were not raised as part of his previous public campaigns against corruption.
The NPP National Youth Organiser also invoked the Minister’s oath of office, insisting that he has a duty to provide Ghanaians with an accurate and complete account of the developments.
“The Minority intercepted far many wrongly issued service passports under your watch than you stated in this massage cover-up of a statement,” Mr Abanga alleged.
He further accused the Minister of omitting details about some individuals who, according to him, were allegedly issued service passports without satisfying the necessary conditions.
Mr Abanga specifically named Ayisha Issah, Gyaaba Anthony and Twumasi Francis Kwame as individuals he claimed were issued service passports despite allegedly not qualifying for the travel documents.
He alleged that the individuals were assigned official designations, including Deputy Director of Aquaculture Specialist, Director of Geological and Deputy Director of Climate Change Specialist, in connection with the Fisheries Commission and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
According to him, some of the positions cited in support of the passport applications do not exist within the respective public institutions.
He questioned how such designations could have been used to facilitate the issuance of service passports and called for the allegations to be thoroughly investigated.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained that it is committed to strengthening the passport administration system and protecting the integrity of Ghana’s travel documents.
In its statement, the Ministry said it had taken decisive steps following the receipt of petitions concerning alleged irregularities in the issuance of service passports.
It explained that the decision to establish an investigative committee was informed by its commitment to institutional integrity and zero tolerance for corruption.
The Ministry also disclosed that officers connected to the matter had been interdicted and the case referred to the police for further investigation.
It assured Ghanaians that anyone found culpable in the alleged passport-for-sale scheme would face the appropriate consequences.
The Ministry further pledged to ensure transparency, impartiality and accountability throughout the investigative process.
It added that reforms and additional security measures would be pursued to prevent abuse of the passport administration system and preserve the confidence of Ghanaians and international partners in the country’s travel documents.
Despite the measures announced by the Ministry, Mr Abanga insists that the Minister must take further responsibility for the controversy.
He wants Mr Ablakwa to apologise publicly, resign from his ministerial position and allow the appropriate authorities to investigate the matter without interference or attempts to influence public perception.
He argued that Ghanaians deserve full disclosure on how the alleged irregularities occurred, the officials involved and the circumstances under which the affected passports were issued.
“Mr Minister, admit the truth in its full form and resign now. The people of Ghana deserve better,” he stated.
By 1960news.com
